Suffering The Didact
by TaylenC
Summary: WARNING: **spoilers** for Halo 4. If you don't care then enjoy! A story of Cortana and Chief. Bad summary but just try it. Only my 2nd fic, R&R Please! BTW: this will be a series.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi all I finished playing Halo 4 a while ago and it left me feeling depressed so I decided to write away the feels. So this is the result, I hope you enjoy!**

"Cortana?"

"Cortana? Do you read?"

"Cortana come in."

John turns to see a life-size hologram approach him.

"How?..."

"Oh, I'm the strangest thing you've seen all day?" Cortana chuckles.

"But if we're here-?"

"It worked."

"You did it. Just like you always do."

"So how do we get outta here?"

She bows her head.

"I'm not coming with you this time."

"What?!"

"Most of me is down there. I only held enough back to get you off the ship."

"No. That's not- we go together."

"It's already done," Cortana says wistfully.

"I am not leaving you here."

"John," she sighs touching his chest.

"I've waited so long to do that," she says with satisfaction.

"It was my job to take care of you."

"We were supposed to take care of each other... and we did," she says, voice breaking slightly.

"Cortana. Please..." John says unable to meet her gaze.

"Wait," he calls as she backs into the digital surroundings.

"I... I love you," he says just before she vanishes.

She walks back to him taking his hand and cupping his face. Their eyes lock sharing a loving gaze for several moments. Finally as she backs away their hands barely touching and arms out stretched she says...

"I love you too... welcome home, John."

With that she's gone vanishing into the digital wall.

_Gone._

Debris seem to fall around him. There is a collapse of the digital room and The Chief is unconscious floating in a field of debris.

* * *

When I awoke I was seated in a Pelican. It was explained to me that I had been floating unconscious in a field of debris. I recalled the fact that Cortana was gone. I was never one to show or feel emotion especially as a spartan but losing her hurt so bad. It was like losing a part of me. I loved her and it felt as though the wind had been knocked from me.

We docked on the Infinity and as I walked to the heart of the ship the path was lined on either side with marines in formation.

I broke off from the group I needed time to be alone. I laughed at the thought of how ironic it was. I headed to the observation deck staring out at mother Earth. I was tired of people greeting me with such happiness. I couldn't really be mad at them though, they didn't know. No one knew how bad it hurt I was alone with my pain, a pain I shouldn't even feel as a spartan. I wondered if I really was just a machine.

_She said that once about us and machines._

I mean most treated me like one addressing me only by my spartan tag like some piece of equipment. I loved her and I was feeling emotion now... that had to count for something right?

Cortana had kept me grounded and more human than machine. We understood each other. Maybe now that she was gone that would all fall apart and I would lose that human side of me.

Maybe I would be decommissioned and taken off duty to be replaced. I decided that maybe I needed to go unsuit before my thoughts became negative and irrational. So I did.

* * *

I return to the main bay to my unsuiting station all personnel staring in awe as I pass. I step into the ring and the scientists check my vitals. Finally piece by piece of my armour falls from my body. Lastly my helmet is lifted off and I breath in the ships recycled air. It was strange to be out of my suit, it was rare that a spartan was seen without armour. I step forward stopping to crack my neck briefly.

"Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan Sierra-117 report to sector 7-1-Alpha," sounds out through the speakers on the ship.

I sigh. That was Dr. Halsey's lab. She probably had my new AI selected. My heart sank it was likely some new state of the art AI but I didn't care. There was only one AI I wanted and that was Cortana. There was nothing I could do about it though, I felt so hopeless and lost.

I arrive at the lab entrance and take a moment to steel myself...

**And so the story begins. Thanks for reading please REVIEW! and chapter 2 is in progress and it will be a very big chapter by my standards 4000 words possibly :O Cheers.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry I said this chapter would be 4000 words but I decided to break it up into three chapters that way I can give you updates faster and you don't have to wait so long I hope you don't mind. Anyways here it is with a nice surprise to start. Enjoy! Oh and here's a fun fact: The Forward Unto Dawn live action series was filmed at my University :D!**

I glance down as I walk in. When I look up I stop in my tracks and stare in shock.

_Cortana._

"Cortana?..." I whisper in shock.

There she is but now she has a physical body. She is the exact same except she has a body and no longer just an image. My mind was a buzz with questions. The questions can wait I decide. What I need right now is her. Just her.

"John," she says with a soft smile.

I run to her and lift her with ease wrapping my arms around her. I hug her tight and she does the same wrapping her arms and legs around me too.

"John," she groans

"Sorry," I say loosening my hold enough so she is comfortable and can breath. I forget how strong I am sometimes.

"I-..." I start but my voice catches in my throat. I look to the ceiling blinking back tears.

"I thought I lost you," I force myself to say my voice trembling slightly.

She looks up when she hears my voice and sees the tears slip down my face. She squeezes me tight her head to my chest until I relax. We hold each other until we have to let go. It's then that I start to panic a little.

_Does she remember what I said?_

"Do you remember fighting the Didact?" I ask.

"I remember the Didact but not fighting him."

Dr. Halsey decides to give us a moment and goes into her office in the next room.

My heart sinks.

"Dr. Halsey will tell you what happened."

I follow her into the next room. I give Dr. Halsey a light hug and then we sit.

"Well John it goes like this... When I created Cortana soon after I realized the rampancy problem and what it would mean for the both of you. I decided to set out and find a solution which I did tirelessly for the next seven years. Our top techs and scientists collaborated with the Sangheilis'. We were making decent head way but it wasn't until our recent encounter with Forerunner that we had the breakthrough. Anyways the technology allowed Cortana to become a sort of biographic. She is essentially both human and AI she gets the best of both worlds. Her rampancy is fixed by this and her life will be slightly longer than that of most spartans. Now how it happened is when you put her in the main frame to discuss the Didact with Captain Del Rio I programmed it to swap her out for a copy. You received the copy while I got Cortana so the others and I could carry out the procedure. Since the procedure she is still able to neurolace with you as I added the required systems to your suit. All you need is this chip. You press the button and have her place her hand on it and she will jump transfer inside the chip. The hitch is the only insert for this chip is on your suit. You will have to let her out to access enemy intel and main frames. If Cortana doesn't mind we can demonstrate now."

"Go ahead," Cortana says.

Dr. Halsey holds the button and Cortana touches the blue slipspace centre. Instantly she dissolves being sucked into the chip.

"Wow," I say in amazement.

She then presses the button again to release. In the same blur her body and self is back.

"Oh and as you can see her skin is bio-luminescent so in the dark or dim lighting she will glow. While in regular light she remains her regular self."

"Your Incredible," I say.

Cortana's whole self proceeds to glow pink and I laugh.

"Looks like flattery and embarrassment still work," I say still smiling.

"Anyways I'm sorry for what I made you go through," she says sincerely.

"It's fine. If the ends justify the means right?"

"Yeah," she nods solemnly.

"Tomorrow I will get you suited up with your new armour," she says as me and Cortana leave her office.

* * *

We return to my Quarters and she sits beside me on my cot. I'm glad to have her back but the fact that she doesn't know how I feel about her is eating at me and I can't bring myself to confess. Suddenly a light clicks on in my head.

"Wait so if I did the mission with a copy was it really just like you?"

"Yup except she had no real feelings or thoughts they were just copies of mine but she would still respond in roughly the same way."

A grin broke out across my face. She was looking at the floor kind of disheartened. Finally she looked at me and saw my smile.

"What?" she asks curious.

"I love you."

Her eyes light up and tears roll down her cheeks.

"I love you too," she says happily.

I kiss her and she kisses back till finally we pull apart.

"That was so amazing. I have dreamed about this for so long. I didn't think you would feel that way about me though."

More tears slip down her face.

"Sorry John I can't stop crying I'm just so happy and overwhelmed," she says.

"I know Cortana," I say pulling her to me and stroking her hair.

We eventually end up laying down. Her small frame is curled up on top of my large chest. She pecks my lips.

"Goodnight my spartan," she says putting emphasis on 'my'.

"I love you," she continues.

"I love you to little blue... my little blue," I say doing the same.

She smiles at the pet name and with that we fall asleep.

I wake in the morning to find Cortana still asleep on my torso.

We begin to make out when she wakes. Things escalate fast and soon we're both naked.

"This is incredible. It's so much better than I ever imagined. Can you make love to me John? In theory I know how to, but-..."

"It's my first time too," I remind her.

And so we do. We make love until we're exhausted and collapse in bliss. We lay there cuddling.

"Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan Sierra-117 report to main bay for weapons and armour testing."

With that we get up and dress to report to Dr. Halsey.

"Do you want to go in or out of the chip?"

"Out, It's fun being able to experience life as a human."

I kiss her forehead and nod.

People stare at Cortana in disbelief. We reach Dr. Halsey and Commander Lasky is there too.

"Hi Mum," Cortana says hugging Catherine.

"Hi Dear."

"Cortana?" Lasky says in shock.

It is explained to Lasky about Cortana and then Catherine starts to go over my new suit.

"Here is your Mark VII suit it has a few upgrades though it's essentially the same in appearance. It has active camo and sprint. Of course it's equipped with much stronger shields. Also it can maintain flight for several minutes with the thrusters located on the back. Last but not least is the new neurolace system I mentioned yesterday for Cortana. Go ahead suit up."

I step into the ring which slowly attaches my suit. I step out before it places my helmet on. I take it in my hand and remove Cortanas' chip from my side. We kiss before she enters the chip. Everyone stares in awe when she transfers. I slip on my helmet that locks into place with a click and slide Cortana into my neurolace.

"Hi John," she says once inside my lace.

I smile, very happy to have her back. To think the other day I thought I lost her.

"It's good to have my girl, my guardian angel back... You're amazing. You know that?"

"You're not so bad yourself," she quips.

**So I hope you liked it. We are getting to the action soon, I mean it's not Halo with out some head shots and plasma nades. This story will focus on romance though because I love romance. Please REVIEW as always, Also fave, folo, etc. Thanks!**


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